MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Macri pledges “no repeat of the 2012 situation” to Navy's training vessel 'Libertad'

“With great capacity and dialogue” Argentina is back in the world and has managed to become a reliable trustworthy country, said Macri

“You can set sail peacefully, because there will be no repeat of the 2012 situation”, president Mauricio Macri told officers, crew and cadets of the Navy's training tall ship Libertad that is ready to set off for the annual tour. Macri was referring to the incident in Ghana when the vessel was seized on an injunction request from one of the holdout funds litigating Argentina over defaulted bonds.

 “With great capacity and dialogue” Argentina is back in the world and has managed to become a reliable trustworthy country, said Macri at midday Tuesday when imparting the set sail order on board the training ship with the last promotion of naval cadets.

“You represent the most valuable Argentines have always had, freedom, dialogue, our capacity to choose, to develop, and you will taking this message to the whole world”, added Macri on the same day Argentina announced a successful bonds sale which will help pay holdouts confirming Argentina's return to world money markets.

“In every port you dock you will be representing Argentina with the message that we want to live in the world in peace, friendship and with a deep interest in knowledge” added Macri underlining the honor of being present at the ceremony.

The Libertad frigate will actually be leaving on Saturday and should be back by 5 November.

Macri said that Argentina was in the threshold of a great growth leap with investments, quality jobs with the objective of zero poverty, leaving behind years of hyperinflation and the international discredit of being in default for years.

“We've decided a raft of measures, some of them less pleasant than others, but always thinking in what is best for Argentines, and this purpose has been in each of those decisions I have made in these four and a half months. Many of our countrymen have had a rough time in the recent past and in this transition they will be supported by the State” pledged the Argentine leader.

Likewise Macri made several announcements in support of “millions of Argentines”, workers, children, families, old age pensioners and independent workers, “that we want to see them cross that bridge to growth and development and better lives, we're committed to build”.

The ceremony was also attended by Defense minister Julio Martínez, Navy Vice Admiral Marcelo Srur, other government and military officials plus foreign naval attachés and relatives of the crew and cadets.